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The Alpha Phi sorority chapter at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, is currently being investigated due to allegations of racism.
According to various reports, members of the Alpha Phi sorority are being investigated for potential racism after a series of tweets outed some of their behavior.
For example, in one tweet, a young woman who is reportedly an Alpha Phi member, is seen holding a certificate that says “blackest white you’ll ever meet.” The identifying words “Alpha Phi Semi Formal” are printed on the top of the paper above the racist message.
Following the spread of the racist images, the Alpha Phi sorority chapter was temporarily suspended while Old Dominion University officials investigate.
via WAVY:
The allegations came to light Wednesday morning when a Twitter user posted several tweets claiming to expose racist behavior within the sorority. In one tweet, a young woman is seen holding a certificate that says “blackest white you’ll ever meet.” If you look closely, the words Alpha Phi Semi Formal are printed on the top of the paper.
The Twitter user also posted other screenshots of tweets containing racial slurs shared by someone they claim to be a sorority member. The person behind the Twitter account claims to know minorities who were targeted and says they decided to post to social media because “no one wants to do anything about it.”
“It doesn’t shock me at all,” said a former Alpha Phi member who wanted to remain anonymous. “I didn’t feel like I had the sisterhood that I thought I was going into. I felt ostracized kind of. I had heard these things that were going on after I left, like I wasn’t surprised. I was glad that I left.”
In a statement that addressed the racist messages, Old Dominion University officials said that the school “has zero tolerance for discrimination of any type.” The university has asked any students with concerns about racial discrimination to contact the school’s Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity at 757-683-3141.
In addition to the university’s investigation, an Alpha Phi spokeswoman said that the national organization “will be conducting our own investigation into what is clearly racist behavior.”
This is not the first time this year that racism has infected a sorority in this country. In January 2018, University of Alabama student Harley Barber was expelled from the university after videos of her using racial slurs went viral.